Valve



Patented Jan. 2l, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT ori-ICE VALVE Roy H. Zinkil, Oak Park, IIL, assignor to Crane Chicago, lll., a corporation of Illinois Application October 4, 1934, Serial No. 746,760y

s claims.

One of the principal objects of this invention is to provide an adequate air vent to break a vacuum particularlywhen used in combination with water piping systems in which a vacuum is 5 liable to occui because of line drainage, or breakage of a water main, or the like.

Another important object of my invention is to provide a valve in which the construction has means to prevent the full force of the vacuum created within the supply pipe acting upon the discharge pipe, which will 'subsequently be explained in more detail.

Another important object is to provide in a valve a means for holdingback pressure produced at flxtures during normal operation, and to prevent what is termed spitting", which results' complished without incurring expensive machining operations.

Another important advantage lies in the fact '3 that the invention provides for a va1ve which is continuously open to atmosphere exceptwhen flushing. The device is usually installed on lines having intermittent flow, such as for water closets and the like, and the device is actuated by line flow during each flushing operation. In between such latter operations the construction of the device allows for the entry of air from atmosphere in a simple, positive, and eiective manner.

Another important object is to provide a structure which indicates visually whether or not the device is actually performing properly for reasons subsequently outlined.

Another important object is that the positive means for preventing a vacuum vcannot be destroyed, by the` valve closure member remaining stationary. As previously stated, this is due to the air vents to atmosphere being normally wide open except when valve is flushing. Thus, if th'e valve closure member of my invention were to remain immovable, it would retard the ow of line fluid but it would not interfere with means for preventing or breaking the vacuum since a full opening to atmosphere would be maintained. The latter feature from the standpoint of guarding against contamination ofthe fresh water supply is of utmost importance and is the esl sence vof this invention.

lAnother important advantage of my invention lies in the provision of a cover for the purpose 5 j of preventing or guarding against foreign matter entering or falling into lthe valve proper.

Another important object of my invention lies in the accomplishment of a disc or valve closure member which is designed to lift and seat with a 10 very low rate of water ilow; in other words, being very sensitive to line flow. r

Another important object of my invention lies in the provision -of a valve employing a unique seating arrangement, namely, to contact with the 1 5 disc closure member at both its inner and outer periphery on one plane. f Another important object isto provide for a valve in which the body or casing of the structure'has means for deflecting or changing the 20 direction of the ow of water during the'iiushing operation-and the disc or closure member is lalso designed in its preferred embodiment to change the direction of the flow of water so as tofacilitate sensitivity in the valve operation. 25 Similarly, the disc is provided with means for being suitably guided to maintain its position for proper actuation by acentral or ushing tube extension.

Other important objects will be apparent 30 upon the reading of the description in which Fig. 1 shows one of numerous ordinary installations in whichthe device of my invention identifled by the numeral 2 is installed in the downstream or discharge side of the ushing valve II, 35

or any other similar water control means leading into a flushing or discharge pipe I for the purpose of flushing the bowl I0, or providing water similarly to any fixture.

Fig. 2 is a partial sectional assembly view show- 4 ing a preferred embodiment of my invention.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2, showing more clearly a plan of the venting or airport arrangement.

Referring to Fig. 1, the casing 2 is attached 45 to the discharge pipe I by the threads 3, although it is obvious that any form of connection may be used in place of the threads; The casing 2 is provided with several diametrically extending ribs 4, which er their central peint of intersee- 50 tion provide for a, boss 5 threaded as at 6 to permit the use of a screw 1 or a rivet used in attachtermittently ushing water to which preferably encircles the ow tube extension 9 and is guided thereby.

As shown in the drawing, the cup shaped member 8 is of approximately such proportions as to extend in between the space formed by the outside of the inlet flow tube extension 8 and the interior I2 of the casing 2.

Superposed upon` the rim I3 of the cup shaped member 8, but not necessarily in lesb-tight relation therewith, is the valve closure member I8 which may be of either a metal or a composition,

or a combination of both, as shown. The valve closure member is preferably providedA with 'a lower extending annular lip AI4 which extends around the outside of and below the rim of the cup shaped member 8, the'purpose of which is to serve as a means for deflecting of the flow of water downwardly rather than permitting it to strike the inner walls I2 of interfere with the water'fiow. guided around the inlet tubing extension piece 9 as indicated at I5, and preferably has an insert face member I6a to contact with the seat I1 when the valve closure member is actuated by the flow of line fluid in serving as a closure for the air inlet ports I8.

The casing 2 is preferably provided with threads I9 for attaching the bonnet 2|, which is provided with a number of perlpherally extending vents or air inlet ports I8. Interposedtherebetween is a gasket 22 for the purpose of accom.

plishing a leak-tight and the casing.

joint between the bonnet Preferably made integral with the bonnet 2I is the' previously described inlet flow tube extension 8, for the purpose above described, the port diameter of which is made approximately of the same proportions as the inside diameter of now of the discharge tubing. The underside of bonnet 2| is provided with a seating 'surface I'I as previously referred to, and it is preferably made with two concentric circular seating contacts as indicated at 23 and23l, respectively; Between the peripheral extending air inlet ports I8 and assisting to contribute greater rigidity to the structure are the ribs 24, surroundedl by the rim 25. The central portion of/the bonnet 2I is provided at its upper portion with a shoulder 28 and threads 21. Superposed upon thebonnet 2I and resting upon the shoulder 26 is a cover 28, which is made of such proportions as to extend over and around the bonnet 2I so as to prevent the entry of foreign matter within the air inlet ports I8. Attached to the threads 21 is a connecting member 29 accomplishing the dual purpose of .clamping the coverlk 28 firmly over the bonnet 2l and also providing by nneans of 'its threads 3I for a connection to a flushing valve or tubing or other device installed upon the pipe line, the gasket member 32 ordinarily serving as a means to make a tight joint between the flush control means II arid the connection 29. x

In describing a typical operation of my device, let it be assumed that the flushing valve I I is ina closet bowl, which is a normal installation, and during such operation the water released is flowing downwardly thus creating back pressure in the device. The ow from the lflushing valve II through the inlet flow tube extension 8 of the bonnet 2I continues downwardly into the cup shaped member 8. Instantaneously with the flow of line fluid within the cup shaped member 8, the valve closure member I8 is lifted thereby so as to contact at its the casing 2, and thus- The disc IB is the valve seats 23 valve closure member face I8a with the seating surface I1 at the peripheral seating contacts 23 and 231, respectively,`

thus effectively preventing the flow of water outwardly into the atmosphere through the ports I8. The water continues to flow past the underside of the closure member I6. its pathof deflection upwardly and outwardly being prevented by th'e downwardly extending lip I4. Thus the course of the water travel is changed so as to again proceed in a downward direction into the casing 2 and in between and past the ribs 4 downwardly into the port of the discharge tubing I for the purpose of flushing the fixture to which it is connected. If the valve closure member I8 is not operating properly so as to shut off the air vents I8 during the above described flushing operation, this condition will be indicated by the line uid discharging out into the open through the clearance 28a. If for some reason the closure member were to remain in its normal position as shown in Fm. 2, it would retard the flow of fluid through the device, but it would not interfere with means for breaking the vacuum since a full opening to atmosphere would still be maintained.

Further, the rim 25 forms a receptor on top of the bonnet 2I in which any slight leakage past and 231 can accumulate and flow backinto the valve casing 2 through the ports I8 at the end of the flush.

The foregoing description -briey explains the path of fiow of water during operation of a water control device, as for example a iiushing valve.

Let it now be assumed that the flow of water or fluid has ceased by reason of the flushing valve II having completed its cycle of operation. The valve closure member I8 will drop back to its normal position on the stop rim I3 by gravity and also because of the suction or pull caused by the evacuation of water from the ushing pipe at the end of the ush, the closure member resting upon the Thus the-ports I8 are opened and permit the air from the atmosphere to enter from the outside that` instead of water or fluid pressure in the rim I3 as 'shown in the drawing.

supply lline a vacuum exists tending to reverse the' direction of flow, in such instance the reversal of eflow of water from the discharge pipe I is stopped by allowing a sufcient amount of air to enter-as indicated by the path of arrows. The air travels in through the clearance 28a, under the cover 28, through the air vents I8, through the clearance I5, and into the tubular extension 9. It likewise travels as indicated, aroundthe into the discharge tubing I., j It will be further apparent that the valve closure member I8 will be held against the stop rim I3 by the vacuum created, and thus will interfere with the full force of the vacuum in the supply pipe or extension tube 9 from acting upon any fluid in the discharge pipe I.

It should be also noted that the areas at I3 and also at the clearance I5 are of such proportions that any suction occurring or any tendency to reverse flow is adequately offset by the larger areas through the ports I8 and the cover clearance 28a, respectively leading to atmosphere.

From the detailed description above given, it is evident that my invention is capable of employing numerous modifications coming withinl the spirit of my invention and further that any desired proportion of parts may be used. VFor example, a plurality of fluid inlets, outlets, or

I8, past the stop rim` I3,

prlsing in combination a uid inlet, a uid outlet,.

vents may be used as required, and I, therefore, desire to be limited only to the extent of the appended claims.

-I claim:

1. In a pressure actuated the flow of fluid.

2. In a pressure actuated valve, a cas prising in combination-,a fluid inlet, a fluid outlet, a vent of -uld. A

5. In a pressure actuated valve, a casing comprising in combination a fluid inlet, a fluid outlet, a vent opening to atmosphere, a valve closure member therefor-'guided on its inner diameter.

ingccmsaid closure member having an annular lip for irecting the flow cit-fluid to said outlet,

member closing the vent opening during ow of fluid. 5 I

6. In a pressure actuated valve, a casing comprising in combination` a iluid inlet, a fluid outlet,

iluid.

7. In a pressure actuated valve, a casing comprising in combination a fluid inlet, ajiluid outlet,

ROY H. ZDTKILt 

